New Delhi -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a ruling that human rights groups are calling historic , India 's Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the country 's transsexual and transgender individuals the right to self-identify their gender .

The ruling means transsexual and transgender people and those who identify as belonging to the `` third gender '' will not be required to submit medical evidence of their sexuality to be recognized by the government as a member of that gender , said Tripti Tandon , a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs .

A plea was filed before the Supreme Court by India 's National Legal Services Authority in 2012 on behalf of the transsexual and `` hijra , '' or third-gender , communities .

`` The Supreme Court ruled that everyone has the fundamental right to have their gender identified and recognized in the law without any discrimination , '' Tandon said . `` And it 's self-identification of the gender as opposed to medically or surgically assigned one . ''

The high court also issued a series of guidelines to India 's federal government and state administrations for enforcement of its orders , she added .

The ruling states that `` gender identity is integral to the dignity of an individual and is at the core of ` personal autonomy ' and ` self-determination . ' ''

Hijras , the ruling said , must be considered a third gender `` over and above binary genders under our Constitution and the laws . ''

The ruling allows females to identify as males and males to identify as females , and no sex reassignment surgery is required for recognition of one 's self-defined gender .

Human rights groups praised the ruling , but used the opportunity to push for changes in another law that criminalizes consensual homosexual relationships .

Tuesday 's ruling has the potential to alter the lives of people who have suffered oppression , Amnesty International 's program director in India , Shashikumar Velath , said in a statement .

But , he noted , the same Supreme Court has overturned a lower court 's decision to decriminalize homosexual relationships . The law bans people from engaging in `` carnal acts against the order of nature '' and dates back to British colonial times .

The court 's ruling on transgender , transsexual and third-gender people recognizes that their plight can not be ignored , said Graeme Reid , director of the Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch .

`` It begins the process of re-establishing the important social role that third-gender people played in traditional Indian society , '' he said .

CNN 's Tara Kangarlou contributed to this report .

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India 's Supreme Court says people have the right to self-identify their gender

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Human rights groups say it is a victory for transgender and transsexual community

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But homosexual relationships are still criminalized